Vietnam ranked the 11th among France's suppliers of frozen fish fillets with a value of US$46.3 million in 2013, down nearly 29 percent against US$65.07 million in 2012.
Last year, France had high demand for fresh whitemeat fish species, especially fresh cod; whereas, consumption of frozen cod fillets was slightly weakened. French consumers were turning from salmon to whitemeat fish, as the salmon price was much expensive. In the first half of 2013, consumption of fresh whole cod and cod fillets rose 16.8 percent in volume, boosting their shares in the fresh fish segment to 16.8 percent. The cod price in 2013 was US$18.10 per kilogram averagely, down 6 percent year on year.
Alaska pollock got major shares in French imports of frozen whitemeat fish fillets in 2013. There were 50,512 MT of Alaska pollock entered into France, worth up US$158.2 million, higher than 44,488 MT and up 13.8 percent compared to US$139.03 million in 2012.
Cod was the second imported fish with US$137.7 million, down 4.8 percent against US$144.6 million of the previous year. Hake ranked third with US$49.3 million, up 2.7 percent against US$48.1 million in 2012.
In 2013, French purchase of pangasius and catfish was 5,774 MT, valued US$17.8 million, fewer than 5,906 MT and down 15.6 percent from US$21.1 million a year ago. Pangasius and catfish products were bought from 7 countries, compared to 15 countries reported in 2012; 78 percent of imported pangasius came from Vietnam.
According to Vietnam Customs, France consumed US$15.7 million from pangasius products from Vietnam in 2013, down 6.7 percent from US$16.869 million in 2012. The market ranked the 9th among pangasius importers in the EU. It stood at the 8th position in 2012.
In 2013, French fish markets saw drop in sales. Compared to 2012, seafood sales of the country went down 4 percent in volume and value to 209,103 MT and EUR616 million. There were lower landings of whitemeat fish, pelagic fish and cephalopod. Despite a 16.6-percent drop in catch, salmon was still the most consumed fish with 20.5-percent share in France's fresh fish segment. It was followed by saithe with 6 percent, trout salmon (3.7 percent), sea bass (3.3 percent), perch (1.3 percent) và pangasius (1.1 percent).
Of whitemeat fish species, there was strong demand for fresh cod as a result of low price. However, the consumption of cod has slightly slowed down since April 2013, when the price recovered, said a local whitemeat fish supplier.
There have been positive signs from French market, as consumers are turning to fresh fish after many years of eating frozen products. Fresh fish also enters into the segment of food and services, which was dominated by frozen fish before. This trend will result in slight drop in consumption of frozen fillets of pangasius and other fish species in the coming time.
|
Top 15 suppliers of frozen pangasius fillets to France, MT |
||
|
Origin |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Vietnam |
5,263 |
4,515 |
|
Belgium |
313 |
10,50 |
|
The Netherlands |
228 |
173 |
|
The UK |
12 |
17 |
|
Spain |
1 |
11 |
|
Poland |
0 |
6 |
|
Portugal |
2 |
2 |
|
Brazil |
2 |
0 |
|
China |
3 |
0 |
|
Iceland |
35 |
0 |
|
Sweden |
1 |
0 |
|
Thailand |
1 |
0 |
|
Uganda |
1 |
0 |
|
Tanzania |
1 |
0 |
|
The U.S. |
4 |
0 |
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(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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